Tag Archives: young adult

Today we’ve got Catherine Chant rockin’ the house – which is especially apt, considering she writes rock ‘n’ roll romantic fiction and stories with paranormal twists for young adults. How cool is THAT?

Read on to learn more about Catherine and her latest work – and I hope you’ll leave some love in the comments. Because authors need groupies, too! 🙂

What inspires you to write?

I think I’m going to be in the minority when I say I’m not the type of writer who feels she has to write (like that I’ll die if I couldn’t). I’m creative in so many different ways that if writing were no longer an option, I’d find another outlet and be okay with that.

So why do I write if I don’t have to? I write because I enjoy it. It’s that simple. I like telling stories. I like starting on a path and seeing what’s around the corner. I enjoy discovering the unexpected, and I would love for readers to come along for the ride. I’m constantly inspired by the question of “What if…?”

[ML: So glad I’m not the only one who feels that way – though if I did, I think I’d get a lot more written.]

What one piece of advice do you wish you’d had when first starting out?

When I was in elementary school, the teachers would tell my mother that my assignments were sometimes late because I spent too much time looking around the room to see what other kids were doing.

I made that same mistake when I started writing. Sometimes it’s disguised as learning from others, which is fine, but if you pay too much attention to what other writers are doing, it’s easy to forget to work on your own stuff. Write for yourself first and don’t worry so much what everyone else is doing.

What’s your favorite romance novel of all time, and why?

This is a hard choice. I’ve read and loved a lot of books. But I’d have to say that the romance that stands out the most in my mind after all these years is Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. I read it when it was first published back in 1991 and it just struck a chord with me. The history, the emotions, the romance. It has it all. That book made me fall in love with the whole time travel genre and inspired me to write my own. Before that moment, I’d mostly read gothic romances.

Name two things people don’t know about you.

1. I always say I’m a horrible cook (it’s been a running joke in my family since I was a kid–I was majorly inept in Home Ec class), but I’m actually not that bad. I don’t much like cooking, though, so I’m happy to have everyone believe I’m horrible at it and that’s why I don’t cook more.

2. Before I got into writing, I was an artist. I drew and painted pictures all the time. Looking back, I probably should have gone to art school and become a graphic designer, but my parents wanted me to have a “practical” career, so I went to a traditional four-year college and studied math and held a technology job for 15 years. Now I’m back in the arts, so I got here eventually.

A Bit About Nothing Stays the Same (young adult time travel romance)

How far would you go to save someone’s life? Leah and Brennan are going all the way back to 1973.

One Choice Changes Everything…

In 1973, The Beat Detectors are the hottest TV pop band to hit the airwaves since The Monkees, thanks to the appealing vocals of rising teen idol Ronnie Basford. But behind the scenes, not everything is rainbows and unicorns. Ronnie realizes much too late that one bad decision can ruin your whole life.

Forty years later, Ronnie is dead from an apparent suicide and his sixteen-year-old son Brennan wants answers. He needs to understand how it all went so wrong. When he finds himself dropped back in time, to the set of his father’s TV show, he’s determined to redirect the course of his father’s life and create the happy ending Ronnie deserved.

Soccer star Leah Reinard has been crushing on Brennan Basford for ages. When they end up at the same summer job, she thinks the fates have finally aligned in her favor. That is, until Brennan suddenly disappears from existence. One day he’s there, the next day, he’s gone. And no one but Leah even remembers him. Can Leah find Brennan in time to stop him from ruining both their futures?

Catherine Chant is an active member of the Romance Writers of America (RWA) and a Golden Heart® finalist. She writes rock ‘n’ roll romantic fiction and stories with paranormal twists for young adults. Catherine is currently working on a new young adult suspense novel, and the next book in her Soul Mates series.

She’s a hoot (dragon sex, anyone?), always wildly entertaining, and so I invite you to sit back with favorite brew in hand and read all about … the chocolate preferences of her characters? Yes, and MUCH more…

Embrace the Fire is the second in your Heart of a Dragon trilogy, the follow-up to Kindle the Flame. What do you find the most challenging part about writing the middle book in a trilogy? What is the most fun?

The most challenging part of avoiding that middle book syndrome is finding a good balance for your overall story. You have to carry a storyline that keeps flowing, doesn’t grow stagnant, maintains and builds the plot threads and the romantic chemistry and the character development and the rising action and the tone and the voice and the structure… all without tipping over the precipice into the land of “resolved” yet, because hey… there’s still another book to be written, and you have to save something for then. 😉

The most fun part is everything I just listed. Sure, it’s hard, but who said writing a book was ever easy, and if it were easy… would I enjoy it? I love the challenge of throwing myself heart and soul into a project, tearing out my hair, sometimes even crying over my inability to make plot threads meet—but, oh boy, the adrenaline rush at the end!

Some people jump from planes for the amazing feeling of accomplishment when they land on the ground. Me… I just write books. 😉

Which character from this trilogy do you most enjoy writing, and why?

I enjoy the wide variety of the cast; there are so many and varied tastes and textures. It’s like an artist’s palette, and I get to choose a brush and make a stroke along a canvas whenever I break out into some of the descriptions.

I just added a new character in Embrace the Fire that I didn’t have in Kindle the Flame—Ashleen. I’ve totally enjoyed exploring the depths of her character. She’s nearly opposite me in personality—unafraid and absolutely self-confident. She makes a nice contrast to Kinna, my female lead, who struggles with discovering who she is and becoming comfortable with what she’s meant to do. I’m widening Ashleen’s role in the third book, and am having fun seeing how elastic her character is and how far she’ll stretch.

How do you think up such intricate plots and such fantastical creatures? Because I totally want a Mirage dragon.

Short answer: I have no idea. 😉 Lol!It starts with a seed (what if I wrote a list of all the fantastical creatures I’ve ever found in stories, and then included them all in one book?) that I faithfully water every day (and then what if I made a world where all of these creatures were separated into Clans by a tyrannical king who used them for his own ends?), and then it eventually sprouts into a full-blown tree complete with twigs, blossoms, and leaves (and then what if there’s an epic struggle between the king and the rightful heir to the throne, and the eternal poser of Might Is Right comes into heavy play throughout the entire trilogy? How epic would that be?).

This is very important: Which would each of your four main characters (Kinna, Ayden, Cedric, Sebastian) prefer: dark, milk, or white chocolate. Believe me, this reveals a lot about their personalities.

Haha!! I can only imagine. Shall I analyze why I think they like what they like? Here we go:

Kinna likes milk chocolate, because she’s not one to obsess over the added sugar. And it tastes better than white chocolate. She’s a bit more of a go-with-the-flow girl, and she’s at peace with that. Although she has a strict sense of right and wrong, she knows it’s silly to think that all dark things are inherently evil, and all things of the light are unmixed with the dark.

Ayden also likes milk chocolate for many of the same reasons as Kinna, but he’s seen too much of the underbelly of the world to think that he wants to spend any more time in only dark chocolate. It’s too bitter, and he’s had enough bitterness to last a lifetime.

Cedric enjoys dark chocolate, perhaps because until the age of seventeen, he’s never experienced chocolate of any kind, and doesn’t know the effects that chocolate has on the culture he discovers when he leaves the only life he’s ever known. Too much sweetness sours his stomach, and he can only handle small amounts at a time, no more than a square inch if pressed.

Sebastian has towers of his castle filled with the white chocolate gunk. He rolls in it. He stuffs his cheeks like a hamster and then gets on his political wheel and runs aimlessly for hours while he lets the sickly sweet saliva leak from his mouth and drip from his chin in drops of tyrannical drool.

So… how’d I do? 😉

(ML says: Best. Answer. Ever. And I knew that evil Sebastian was a white chocolate guy. I just knew it.)

You also just released the middle book in your Guardian of the Vale series, Shadows of Uprising. How on earth do you keep the characters and storylines straight? Have you ever mixed them up and found yourself sticking Kinna into Clayborne, or having Jayme ride a dragon?

Yes to both. I always proofread my books after I finish writing them—multiple times—and it never fails but that I find the wrong character show up in a book.

Even when I was only writing ONE book at a time (instead of two or three as I am now), I’d still find the characters cropping up in my present story that I had wrapped up in the book I’d finished months ago.

I figure it’s just part of the process. And hopefully I always catch any stray displaced characters in a story before it goes to press and return them to their rightful homes.

Once you finish these two series, what’s next? More sci-fi/fantasy? Or might you, gasp, actually take a break?

Hahahahahaha! Take a break, she says. 😉 I’ve learned never to lay out solid plans too far in advance, because there’s too much of a risk of breaking those plans. I hope to keep writing YA fantasy for years, but at the moment, I’m concentrating on just getting these two trilogies done.

I do have a historical romance series in my head that’s been simmering for the last few years, and I kept discarding the idea because I don’t write straight romance. I’ve finally decided to give it a shot. I have no idea if it’s a good decision or not; it might be a walk on the wild side. But I figured I may as well have fun with it. I enjoy the lightness of romances; it’ll be a nice break from the intense and deep and epic plot threads of my fantasies (I say that now—watch my romance evolve into a ridiculous creation that’s waaaay too deep to call it a simple romance). 🙂

(ML says: “Simple” romance? Methinks you and I must talk, m’dear. There are plenty of dark, twisted romances out there, as well. 🙂 )

You’re a freelance editor as well as a writer. How does editing others’ works influence your own?

To hone a skill, you have to practice… and practice and practice and practice, right? I practice writing all the time, as well as editing my own work all the time. But I have one basic style, and freelance editing opens up a world of other styles to me. It’s wonderful; I get to do what I love best (read and write) while helping other authors do what they love best (write), and it also helps me hone and sharpen my skills. It’s a win/win situation.

If you could give people one reason to read this trilogy, what would it be?

Three words: Dragonly coital habits.

That would totally be too much for my curiosity. But if you need a little more convincing, here’s my shot at it:

If you want to read a story with reminiscent touches of Martin’s or Tolkein’s fantasy action, if you want a YA romance that takes you back to the Twilight days, if you enjoy the political intrigue and mystery of TV series similar to Reign and/or the Tudors… or if you just enjoy really, really awesome dragons, then this book is most definitely for you. 🙂

Wanted by King Sebastian, Kinna, the long-hidden daughter of the assassinated King Liam, flees for her life, determined to seek out her twin brother and free him from Sebastian’s dungeons. Meanwhile, the King holds Kinna’s adopted father as collateral to ensure she keeps her betrothal to a man she does not love.

Once cursed by King Sebastian to turn everything he touched to ash, Ayden suffers from new, searing pain that heats his flesh in a different way. Searching for answers, he digs into the histories of West Ashwynd’s Clans, and his discoveries lead him to the Amulet he’d thought had rid him of his curse. When he finds a rare Mirage Dragon, hope for vengeance upon Sebastian fills him again.

Captured and stripped of his power as Dragon-Master, Cedric resists using his Dragon-speak to advance Sebastian’s political aims. When he escapes the King’s clutches, he resolves to find his twin sister, Kinna. But the enemy has a long reach, and Cedric’s chains are unrelenting.

Ice and agony torment Sebastian, King of West Ashwynd. His fury rages unabated as he prepares for war. When treachery leeches into his ranks, he turns against everyone he trusts. Sebastian believes he cannot be outwitted, but…

Kingdoms rise and fall; wars transform nations—but who can survive the fires of Dragons?

Tamara Shoemaker lives in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia with her husband, three children, a few jars of Nutella, and a never-ending carafe of coffee.

It’s the first official Wednesday of spring! Wahoo! And it’s WRITER Wednesday, so that kicks even more tushy. And what tops all of that? We have Young Adult and Romance author Jessica Ruddick with us today, spilling the beans on her writing life and her latest book, Wanting More.

I can tell you right now *I’m* wanting more chocolate, but since that ain’t happening, let’s all settle in and get inspired by Jessica, who wants us to “laugh a little, swoon some, love a lot.” Aww. I’m down with that!

What inspires you to write?

Readers. Readers inspire me to write because I was a voracious reader before I turned into a writer. Reading has always been my solace in the craziness that is life. I hope that my books can bring readers the same joy I’ve experienced through books.

Name one interesting thing you learned in researching/writing your last book.
I learned that when someone gets punched in the nose and it breaks, the blood actually kinda bubbles out of the nostrils rather than gushes. Gross, right? I also did research on bullet wounds, and let me tell you—if you’re squeamish at all, don’t Google that.

Which type of romance do you love most, and why?
I really love paranormal YA, especially when the love story spans several books. A perfect example of this is the Vampire Academy series. Although the characters are generally tasked with saving the world in these books (LOL), they’re usually unencumbered with adult responsibilities, like the ones I face every day. It’s a refreshing escape.

Bri Welch likes to play it safe. I don’t. She’s wound tight, and I’m all about a good party. But there’s something about her that makes me want to pull those uptight layers away one-by-delicious-one. But the worst thing is she makes me want more…

Jessica Ruddick lives in Virginia and is married to her college sweetheart–their first date was a fraternity toga party (and nothing inspires love like a toga, right?). When she doesn’t have her nose in a book or her hands on a keyboard, she can be found wrangling her two rambunctious sons, taming two rowdy but lovable rescue dogs, and battling the herd of dust bunnies that has taken up residence in her home. LETTING GO and WANTING MORE are Entangled Embrace releases, and she has a forthcoming romantic suspense release with St. Martin’s Swerve under her pen name, Jessica Linden. To learn more about Jessica, please visit her websites at www.jessicaruddick.comand www.jessicalinden.net.

Wow, am I excited to feature Beth Trissel today! Beth and I live in the same town (we’ve yet to meet in person, but it will happen!), and she’s been a great support to newbie me, so I’m so pleased to feature her here.

I managed to sneak in a few short questions of my own for a mini-interview of sorts, and then Beth tells us all about her NEW book, The Hunter’s Moon, the first volume in her brand-spankin’ new YA Secret Warrior series. But before you get to read about that, there’s this:

Well, I’m all over the place with historicals, ghost stories, time travels, and YA fantasy romances. Every story has a historical basis, so that’s a constant, even if they are set in the present day. I have a strong draw to the past. I’m also a romantic, so each story is a romance, whether sweet or a bit spicier.

What’s one piece of writing advice you’d wished you’d had earlier on?

Think in terms of series.

And now, the Secret Warrior series:

Although The Hunter’s Moon (Book 1, Secret Warrior Series) is my first venture into the young adult genre, I’m an award-winning, multi-published author in historical, paranormal, and time travel romance. I was inspired to create this new series partly by my teenage nieces and younger daughter. We’ve watched a lot of YA movies and TV programs together and had book discussions, during which they urged me to take the plunge.

I pondered the concept behind Secret Warrior for years as it gradually took shape in my mind. My love of history, fantasy, and fascination with the mountain people and Native Americans is at the heart of the series. Living in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia surrounded by mountains veiled in mist and mystery lends itself well to creating the characters and setting for YA fantasy romance, The Hunter’s Moon, and the stories that will follow. Some of the characters and creatures are based on lore I’ve learned. Others appeared to me, as characters have a way of doing. A great deal of research and intuition went into writing The Hunter’s Moon. Next in the series isCurse of the Moon(release date TBD). I purposefully kept these stories to novella length so they would come out faster, which means eBook format only. The Secret Warrior series is published by The Wild Rose Press.

Pre-order links for The Hunter’s Moon are up at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. The official release date for the story is December 14th.

Here’s the blurb:

Seventeen year old Morgan Daniel has been in the witness protection program most of her life. But The Panteras have caught up with her and her younger brother. Her car is totaled, she’s hurt, and the street gang is closing in when wolves with glowing eyes appear out of nowhere and chase away the killers.

Then a very cute guy who handles a bow like Robin Hood emerges from the woods and takes them to safety at his fortress-like home.

And that’s just the first sign that Morgan and her brother have entered a hidden world filled with secrets.

Excerpt:

“Should we stay, or go while the smoke lasts?” The cloth muffled her voice.

“You can hardly walk.”

She couldn’t argue that point. Neither could they wait to be found. “The Panteras won’t give up until we’re dead.”

“Maybe they think we are,” he argued under his breath.

“Maybe.”

She suspected Mateo would demand a body, even a charred one. Make that two. She and Jimmy didn’t have much choice, though, other than to crouch in dread while the fire crackled.

“Next birthday, I want an AK-47.” He nudged her. “Look.”

She fixed her blurry gaze on what appeared to be a black wolf emerging from the trees. The creature was larger than she’d thought wolves were, and she’d understood none remained in these mountains. They were all farther north or west. Somewhere else.

Apparently, she was misinformed.

Judging by its size, she guessed this was a male. He stopped before their hideout. Eyes the color of red coals surveyed them before he turned and darted down the trail she’d spotted.

“Holy cow, Batboy. Did you see that?” she whispered.

Jimmy didn’t reply. He prodded her again.

She stared at the big brown and gray wolf that took the black one’s place. Where on earth had he come from?

The beast turned its furry head at her and Jimmy. His eyes shone with a luminous light, like fireflies…

A bit about Beth:

Married to my high school sweetheart, I live on a farm in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia surrounded by my human family and furbabies. An avid gardener, my love of herbs and heirloom plants figures into my work. The rich history of Virginia, the Native Americans, and the people who journeyed here from far beyond her borders are at the heart of my inspiration. I’m especially drawn to colonial America and the drama of the American Revolution. In addition to young adult fantasy romance, I also write historical, time travel, and paranormal romance, plus nonfiction.

Good writer friend Tamara Shoemakerand I have novels debuting on the SAME DAY (11/30/15)! And to celebrate, we thought we’d give stuff away – because who doesn’t like free stuff?

So enter the Rafflecopter giveaway above for your chance at an autographed copy of A Matter of Time or Mark of Four (Kindle version for international participants) or a $10 Amazon gift card – and tell your friends!

Here’s a quick blurb about each book:

A Matter of Timeis Margaret Locke‘s new time-travel Regency romance, in which a modern-day Austenite’s dream comes true when she lands in the arms of a Regency duke – only to realize some fantasies aren’t all they’re cracked up to be when he proves less than a Prince Charming.

Can a duke with a past and a woman from the future forge a love for all time?

Mark of Four is Tamara Shoemaker‘s new Young Adult fantasy in which Elementals wield one of four elements, and teens are sent to an Elemental training center to hone their talents.

But what happens when one Elemental can wield all four? Further, what happens when all the powers the world over, both good and bad, want this Elemental’s powers for themselves… and will stop at nothing to obtain it?

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